


altruism and you: a crash course

by ElasticElla



Series: M(V)P Oneshots [6]
Category: Bring It On (Movies), How to Get Away with Murder
Genre: (i borrowed a few leverage characters- can be read as ocs), Crossover Pairings, F/F, Femslash February, Fluff and Angst, Holidays, Multiple Crossovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-28
Updated: 2017-02-28
Packaged: 2018-09-27 12:25:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10020704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElasticElla/pseuds/ElasticElla
Summary: All Michaela wanted was a quiet holiday break: no family drama, no school drama, anddefinitelyno murder drama.





	

**Author's Note:**

> so yeah i used leverage's amy, and there are a few other characters from that verse mentioned. we're just going to pretend everyone lives in philly & obvs set after bring it on/isis is michaela's age

All Michaela wanted was a quiet holiday break: no family drama, no school drama, and _definitely_ no murder drama. Volunteering for a local charity mostly made up of Middleton students had been a rather last minute decision, but it worked. Michaela had been full of self-pity and cheap vodka, a weak celebration to the semester's end, and actually reading the school's daily emails. 

In the morning she discovered she'd signed up for a dozen shifts, collecting money to kitchen duty to serving food. And maybe, maybe it'd be a little easier to look in the mirror after. 

Michaela's never been the type of person that harps on about doing the right thing or being Good. Morality had always been a game of ethics for her, none of the proposed thought-problems ever held any real difficulty for her, working backwards to reach a pleasing conclusion. 

That was before she knew what murder felt like.

She knows there's no going back- it doesn't stop her from desperately hoping late at night that this is all one complex dream- and she can't keep thinking about how society is worse off for her existence. She wanted to be smart, and by god, did she become smart. But then she wanted to be nice, and that didn’t come near as easy. 

So, charity. 

She's fairly certain it's impossible to be completely altruistic. Mostly, sure, but absolutely would require the annihilation of self and- she's gotten far off track now. (Maybe she doesn't have the requisite kindness anyways, that it can’t be learned.) The point is she's going to feel good about helping people this holiday season. (And she's not getting a speck of blood on her new warm fuzzy cream boots.)

There's already two women at the table she got directions to- by the Sears entrance inside or outside depending on the manager- and Michaela's grateful that they're set up inside. The weather said maybe snow, and she couldn’t find her hat in time, lucked out with matching gloves. 

“Hi, I'm-”

The shorter woman whips around with a frenzied smile, “You're Michaela! Oh thank goodness, I was so happy when you signed up- another Isis!” She laughs, and Michaela smiles glancing at the other person who's rolling her eyes. 

“Most people can only do one or two shifts, and since you're new and doing so many, and Isis is our best veteran volunteer, I've paired you two up. I have to run, but call me if anything happens. It was wonderful to meet you Michaela!” 

And she's gone before Michaela can say more than, “It was nice to meet you too.” 

Michaela joins Isis behind the table, asking, “So I get you're Isis, but what was her name?” 

She laughs softly, “That's Amy, she's usually a lot… calmer. Her first art exhibition is opening this week, so between that and running Helping Hands- you probably won't see her much until the end.” 

Michaela nods, and Isis adds, “So if you've collected before, it's the usual spiel, and all money is going to the New Years feast and HH's building maintenance.” 

Michaela's face is carefully blank and Isis's eyes go wide. “You've never collected money before.” 

“Um, no.” 

“Have you done _any_ charity work?” 

Michaela tries to smile at the mother that's passing and giving her a judgmental look, muttering, “No.” 

Isis shrugs, “Aight, here's your jar. Look pretty and I’ll do the talking.” 

Michaela’s ears burn and she remembers Alicia from the party and- it’s so not the time. Isis is sweet talking some little old lady into donating, and it only takes a few people before Michaela gets the speech down. They get into the groove, talking to as many folks that pass as possible, only breaking when it’s empty. 

Michaela brags about the twenty she got off a college kid, and Isis laughs, and suddenly they’re in a ‘who can collect more’ competition. If Michaela were a better person, she might feel guilty about how that motivates her more, trying to one-up a pretty girl she just met. 

But she isn’t- at least she isn’t the asshole who just asked if she had change for a five, and then gave her a dollar. 

.

Isis and her trade stories over the week, talking when everyone’s eating lunch or other random spots of emptiness. Their little competition continues as they collect together, and while Michaela only wins once (entirely due to some delusional kid that thought she’d sleep with him if he donated a bunch, ass), she does feel good about helping out. 

They both volunteer for the New Years feast, but Michaela is working in the kitchen and Isis is the hostess, making sure everything runs smoothly. Later, washing dishes with Peggy, Michaela finds out that it’s the first year Amy couldn’t be hostess herself. And with a little smile, she can’t help but compare how frazzled Amy was the first time they met to the way Isis has been flitting around- far less calm than usual. Peggy interrupts her musings, inviting her to a get-together the following night at Amy’s girlfriend and boyfriend’s pub. It’s tradition apparently, and Michaela distantly remembers getting an e-vite she thought was spam. 

Michaela goes the next night, decides to end her break on a high note. The pub is still decorated for the holidays, garlands and bits of tinsel everywhere. 

“Michaela! You came,” Isis exclaims with a grin, comes over to hug her with a tall glass of eggnog. 

“Hey, yeah- I didn’t see you last night, I heard you did great hosting.” 

Isis snorts, waves a hand off, “Ex-head cheerleader.” 

Michaela swallows, and Isis’s eyes gleam as she asks, “Do you drink? Spencer makes this wicked spiked eggnog.” 

“Yeah, I do.” Michaela says, and Isis leads her over to a bowl, making her a glass. 

Michaela looks up, there’s something teasing just out of her line of vision, and spots a sprig of mistletoe with a bright red ribbon bow. She looks down quickly, and Isis is grinning back at her, inches closer. 

“Parker always hangs them everywhere,” Isis says, and she doesn’t even care who that is, she’s giving them a gift basket. 

“I’d hate to break a tradition,” Michaela says, leaning up on her toes to kiss her.


End file.
